MR. CARINGTONasked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether it is the fact, as stated, that nine hundred tickets have been reserved for distinguished personages to witness the opening of the Now Law Courts; whether it is true that only two hundred and fifty of these tickets have been given to Members of both Houses of the Legislature; whether he will be kind enough to inform the House from what section of the community these other six hundred and fifty distinguished personages are drawn; and, upon what principle the selection was made?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREI should have thought the hon. Member might have trusted me to perform this somewhat delicate and not very agreeable duty without too curious inquiry. As, however, he has questioned me about it, I will explain that I have endeavoured, as I believe the Bar would desire, to gather together the most distinguished men of all the various Professions and Bodies in the Metropolis. I find that, after accounting for the places allotted to the Bar, to the 150 Members of this House, and the 50 places to the Lords and their ladies, I have only 550 places at my disposal, and they have been allotted as follows:—To Foreign Ministers and Members of the Corps Diplomatique and their ladies, 50; to Her Majesty's Minister and ex-Ministers and their ladies, 60; to ex-Judges, Privy Councillors, and their ladies, 50; to distinguished Naval and Military officers and to the permanent Heads of the Civil Service, 160; to the Corporation of London, 80; to the Metropolitan Board, 17; to eminent men in Science, Literature, and Art, to the clergy, to distinguished engineers, architects, and actors, 150.